Mothers celebrated for the pillars they are

Party time. Mothers took to dancing the moment Judith Babirye sang her famed Katonda Talimba song. Photo by Godfrey Lugaaju.

What you need to know:

  • The second week of May is synonymous with Mothers’ Day celebrations – in the new age of social media, many will flock their platforms to write essays about the women that gave them life.
  • This year it wasn’t any different, though real events off the internet were organized in different places.
  • One of these was the Mothers’ Day Breakfast organised by Pillars in the Palace foundation, an initiative led by Charity Byarugaba that was held at the Kampala Serena Hotel on Saturday morning.

The second week of May is synonymous with Mothers’ Day celebrations – in the new age of social media, many will flock their platforms to write essays about the women that gave them life.
This year it wasn’t any different, though real events off the internet were organized in different places.

One of these was the Mothers’ Day Breakfast organised by Pillars in the Palace foundation, an initiative led by Charity Byarugaba that was held at the Kampala Serena Hotel on Saturday morning.
The breakfast that also doubled as an empowerment talk invited inspirational women Barbra Katende, Lydia Nyesigomwe, Pheona Wall and Margaret Tabaruka to share life stories as well as act as think tanks around issues facing a mother.

The talk, moderated by Irene Mugisha, the first part of the talk was mostly centered on finances with Katende calling on women to have more than a source of income.
“One should have seven streams of income if they are to achieve financial independence,” she said.
Elaborating, Katende noted that much as many women own businesses, many have failed to separate themselves from these establishments that many can’t run without their direct involvement and thus turning themselves into mere employees of their businesses than owners.

Talking about parenting, Nyesigomwe said that as mothers strive to make the best of their financial strength, they should never forget their families since one can’t shine without the other; “Our families need equal investment for us to look good.”

Nyesigomwe notes that one can’t pose as a successful woman financially yet back at home, the family is in shambles, she believes that much as financial success is important, making responsible humans out of the children should be priority.
“We may want to make ends meet, but let’s not let the TV or maids do the parenting for us.”

In the same vein, Wall preached the importance of having time for the children, picking from her own experience, she said that she takes her children to school instead of using the availed shuttles and the experience has been rewarding.
“Just the other day I learnt my son was asked to be a prefect and he wanted to know if there were benefits involved,” she said adding that such moments and conversations she has with her children can’t be created if there was no bond.

All the speakers being career women, they seemed to agree that there’s a belief that a successful woman is a family or marriage failure, yet they also knew the weight that comes with being a career woman – having to inspire many yopung girls while inspiring your home at the same time.

According to Tabaruka, regardless of how much mothers have dreams of creating as many avenues of income, they should avoid doing a lot that will take much of the time they should have dedicated to their children.
She also says that people generally have to avoid investing time in things that don’t make them happy. Organised by Pillars in the Temple, the talk also doubled as the launch of their platform that is aimed at bringing women together in various capacities to nature their businesses, homes, parenting skills and networking.